Driven Inward
by Carter
Summary: A tale of woe told by Haruka's best friend:Sonnis. This story is set in a fantasy world. The narrator is a dragon named Sonnis and he tells the story through his point of view.


Driven Inward  
By Carter Brookely  
  
There was something going on inside my mind and I had no idea what it was. I was flying about the castle, seeking out Haruka, when I spotted her below, lounging on a bench, a white lily twirling between her fingers. I landed softly and lied down at her feet, folding my wings close to my body so as no to damage her slender, athletic legs.  
She glanced down at me, and smiled. I knew that smile. She was hiding something. Something extremely sensational. Something Haruka could only dream up of.   
"What is it?" I asked. My tail began twitching back and forth, back and forth.   
"What is what?" She grinned and turned to face me, placing the lily on my head, in between my two horns. I shifted my eyes to her.  
"Haruka, you're hiding something."  
She laughed, a sweet, child-like laugh and rolled onto my back, careful to avoid my wings.   
"Sonnis?"  
"Yes?"  
She picked up the lily between my horns and dangled in between my eyes.   
"Do you believe in love at first sight?"  
I snorted and extended my wings in frustration.   
"Why would I?"  
"Your too serious, Sonnis! But still...do you?"  
I sighed. "I suppose it could happen. Why?"  
She giggled-which is something Haruka does not do. If she had fallen in love it would only result in catastrophe. She was different then other girls her age, in the fact that she chose to pull her affections toward a different audience.   
"Haruka, please don't-"  
"Oh, Sonnis, I'm not that stupid. Besides I haven't found her yet!"  
I shook her off playfully, and pinned her to the ground. I looked into her blue eyes, and saw a gleam of my reflection.  
"Don't Haruka. Just don't."  
She closed her eyes. "Her voice was soft and shallow. She was standing by the ocean's edge. The wind was playing with her turquoise hair."  
"Turquoise hair?"  
"Yeah. And she had the most gorgeous eyes. Like gems, only brighter. And she looked at me with those eyes, and smiled. I came to her and kissed her." She opened her eyes, slowly, and sighed. "Crazy, isn't it?"  
For once, I couldn't hate her little romantic dreams. I didn't want to tell her that that is no such thing as love. She'll learn in time that real love does not exist. Not in the real world. Not when the heart breaks so easily.  
"No, you're not crazy. My Haruka would never be crazy. "  
"Maybe. " Her voice cracked and she smiled a little. "But what was really strange, is that she didn't hit me or scream when I kissed her. It...it seemed like she enjoyed it almost." There was a momentary silence, and I realized that Haruka was going to do something that I would not be able to predict. I grew worried at this and realized that maybe she would leave me, and I would never get to see her.  
"Haruka?"  
"Yeah."  
"Please promise that we'll stay together."  
" Oh you know I'll never leave you."  
I smiled and let her up. She brushed herself off and went towards my side. We heard the dinner bell ring. Looking forward to dinner, we trotted toward the castle's kitchen.  
  
  
"Sonnis, please!" Haruka batted her eyelashes playfully. It was funny how she could be so feminine at times, and suddenly change into a masculine form. Her blond hair played around her blue eyes. She was wearing a woven white long sleeve shirt, and goat skinned pants. She was extremely handsome, her delicate form softly outlined in the harsh masculine clothing. She had arrows slung over her back and a bow in her right hand.  
"Why do you want to go flying? It's almost dusk!" I mocked snapped at her as she moved a little closer.   
"Come on Sonnis! I just want to get out. We'll be back before dark."  
"And why are you bringing your bow?"  
"I just got back from practice and wanted to leave really quickly, so I didn't have time to go to my room and drop them off." She shrugged and scooted a little closer, and seeing that I did not mock snap at her again, proceeded to get on my back. I sighed and said, "Fine. Fine. But we have to get back by dark."  
She would always win when we would have an argument. That was something both she and I knew. I beat my wings and lifted us up into the sky.  
Haruka was a daredevil when we were flying. Right now, she is standing on my back, her arms spread at both sides. She looked so peaceful, the wind pushing through her. At times, I felt the very essence of her love for the wind, for the speed, for the thrill. When this feeling, this joy passed through me, I wanted for her to have my wings-even though they would do her body shame.   
I glanced back at the now microscopic castle.  
"We should head back Haruka."  
I felt her shift and sit down on my back again.  
"Just a little farther."  
"Haruka, where are you leading me?"  
"Just a little further, " was all she said.  
"But-" I stopped myself. If I didn't let her find what she was looking for, she would look for it herself-which could get her into terrible danger. I could have won this argument, but I had been struck with the odd smell of water. Salt water. The ocean.  
"Haruka, what are we doing here? We can't possibly get back to the castle now."  
"Sonnis, land here."  
"No, I'm not doing this. I'm turning around right now."  
"Sonnis... I just want you to land. I won't be longer than 5 minutes. Please."   
There was a sense of pity in her voice. As if she had found something here and I was keeping her from it. I said nothing else and glided down slowly, the waves letting up sprays of mists.  
The sand was soft between my claws and I enjoyed the feeling of the grain. Haruka plopped down onto the sand, her bow scratching against my skin.  
"Look for tracks."   
"What kind of tracks?"  
"Just anything. Anything to show that something or someone was here."  
"Haruka, what are you getting at?"  
"Just look for tracks."  
I scanned the beach and strolled over to a nice shaded spot, and pretended to be looking for something. I looked up from time to time, to find Haruka lying flat against the sand, picking up each grain and inspecting it carefully. After this long agonizing process came to no avail, she would put the grain down and pick up another one.  
"Haruka, what the hell are you doing?"  
She lifted herself up and asked, "How many humans do you smell?"  
I tilted my head to one side, "One, besides yours."  
"I knew it! She was here!"  
"Who-uh, Haruka? Your talking about your dream again aren't you?"  
She ran over and jumped on my back. She pointed towards the castle and before I knew what was happening, I was in the sky, Haruka was happy, and I had sand stuck between my claws. I was on a hunt that I had never wanted to begin. 


End file.
